Hermione the Fourth Champion
by Potter LFC
Summary: What would have happened if Hermione's name had been out of the Goblet instead of Harry's? Would Harry have been as much supportive to Hermione as she wass to him? Would Ron have got the guts to show attitude to her loved one? Would Hermione have faced the same kind of treatment that Harry had to suffer? Was there a particular reason as to why her name got out?
1. Chapter 1

**Hello once again fellow readers. I knows its been a long time since I last wrote a fanfic. However I had some other responsibilities as well because of which I was a bit preoccupied. Without further delay, let me give you a bit of an overview as to what this fanfic is about.**

**Basically I was just watching "The Goblet Of Fire" once again when suddenly an idea crept on to me. What would have happened if Hermione's name had been out of the Goblet instead of Harry's? Would Harry have been as much supportive to Hermione as she wass to him? Would Ron have got the guts to show attitude to her loved one? Would Hermione have faced the same kind of treatment that Harry had to suffer? Was there a particular reason as to why her name got out? Just like Barty Crouch Jr. put the name of Harry's, was Hermione's name put by herself or by someone else? These all questionns gave me a splendid idea as to how to go on with the theme.**

**I wouldn't be starting right from the first page of the novel. The point where Dumbledore announces about the tournament, that's where the story is about to start from. So i just hope that whoever reads this, he/she has a general idea as to what has happened previously. Last but not the least reviews shall be highly appreciated. So without further ado, lets rock and roll towards the story**

** "****The Triwizard Tournament"**

"So!" said Dumbledore, smiling around at them all. "Now that we are all fed and watered," ("Hmph!" said Hermione) "I must once more ask for your attention, while I give out a few notices.

"It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."

"What?" Harry gasped. He looked around at Fred and George, his fellow members of the Quidditch team. They were mouthing soundlessly at Dumbledore, apparently too appalled to speak. Dumbhedore went on, "This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy - but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts will be hosting the Triwizard Tournament"

"You're JOKING!" said Hermione loudly.

Nearly everyone laughed, and Dumbledore chuckled appreciatively.

"I am not joking, Miss Granger" he said, "though now that you mention it, I did hear an excellent one over the summer about a troll, a hag, and a leprechaun who all go into a bar.

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat loudly.

"Er - but maybe this is not the time.. . no. . ." said Dumbledore, "where was I? Ah yes, the Triwizard Tournament. . . well, some of you will not know what this tournament involves, so I hope those who do know will forgive me for giving a short explanation, and allow their attention to wander freely.

"The Triwizard Tournament was first established some seven hundred years ago as a friendly competition between the three largest European schools of wizardry: Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. A champion was selected to represent each school, and the three champions competed in three magical tasks. The schools took it in turns to host the tournament once every five years, and it was generally agreed to be a most excellent way of establishing ties between young witches and wizards of different nationalities -until, that is, the death toll mounted so high that the tournament was discontinued."

"Death toll?" Hermione whispered, looking alarmed. But her anxiety did not seem to be shared by the majority of students in the Hall; many of them were whispering excitedly to one another, and Harry himself was far more interested in hearing about the tournament than in worrying about deaths that had happened hundreds of years ago.

"There have been several attempts over the centuries to reinstate the tournament,"

Dumbledore continued, "none of which has been very successful. However, our own departments of International Magical Cooperation and Magical Games and Sports have decided the time is ripe for another attempt. We have worked hard over the summer to ensure that this time, no champion will find himself or herself in mortal danger.

"The heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving with their short-listed contenders in October, and the selection of the three champions will take place at Halloween. An impartial judge will decide which students are most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory of their school, and a thousand Galleons personal prize money."

"I'm going for it!" Ron hissed down the table, his face lit with enthusiasm at the prospect of such glory and riches. He was not the only person who seemed to be visualizing himself as the Hogwarts champion. At every House table, Hermione could see people either gazing raptly at Dumbledore, or else whispering fervently to their neighbors. But then Dumbledore spoke again, and the Hall quieted once more.

"Eager though I know all of you will be to bring the Triwizard Cup to Hogwarts," he said,

"the heads of the participating schools, along with the Ministry of Magic, have agreed to impose an age restriction on contenders this year. Only students who are of age - that is to say, seventeen years or older - will be allowed to put forward their names for consideration. This" - Dumbledore raised his voice slightly, for several people had made noises of outrage at these words, and the trio was suddenly looking furious - "is a measure we feel is necessary, given that the tournament tasks will still be difficult and dangerous, whatever precautions we take, and it is highly unlikely that students below sixth and seventh year will be able to cope with them. I will personally be ensuring that no underage student hoodwinks our impartial judge into making them Hog-warts champion." His light blue eyes twinkled as they flickered over the trio's mutinous faces. "I therefore beg you not to waste your time submitting yourself if you are under seventeen.

"The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving in October and remaining with us for the greater part of this year. I know that you will all extend every courtesy to our foreign guests while they are with us, and will give your whole-hearted support to the Hogwarts champion when he or she is selected. And now, it is late, and I know how important it is to you all to be alert and rested as you enter your lessons tomorrow morning. Bedtime! Chop chop!"

"Sounds cool though doesn't it? " Ron exclaimed as the trio started walking of towards the Gryffindor common room.

"Yeah obviously it does. No quidditch cup though. That's the negative of it. What's in it for us if we cant compete?" Harry was distraught.

"Ask for yourself! Everyone would have wanted to enter this extra ordinary event. After what I have read about it in the books, its pretty much obvious that it sure would catch everyone's attention, competitor or not". Hermione looked enthusiastic regarding the event.

**PS: I know that most of it is quite the same as it is in the novel. Changes here and there. But then, it's the first chapter and its bound to be same doesn't it? I can assure you that from the next chapter onwards, there would be loads of changes obviously. Hope you had a good read. Once again, reviews would be highly appreciated.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello once again readers. Before I start of with my second chapter, let me tell you guys a few things.**

**The fanfic (as obvious) will revolve around Hermione unlike in the novels where its written from Harry;s point of you,**

**It will be a pretty long fanfic so i request you guys to have patience. Certainly you don't want me to spoil the fun by rushing onto it do you?**

**Reviews are always appreciated by me and I tend to reply to each and every reader individually so that you can have your queries cleared..**

**Last but not the least, as much as I would have wished for, the characters involved certainly aren't mine. They belong to the ever genius JK ROWLING. I m just a normal person whose trying to change the plot and give you guys something interesting to read. **

**So without further delay, lets start... **

**"The New Professor"**

The next two days passed without great incident, unless you counted Neville melting his sixth cauldron in Potions. Professor Snape, who seemed to have attained new levels of vindictiveness over the summer, gave Neville detention, and Neville returned from it in a state of nervous collapse, having been made to disembowel a barrel full of horned toads.

"You know why Snape's in such a foul mood, don't you?" said Ron to Harry as they watched Hermione teaching Neville a Scouring Charm to remove the frog guts from under his fingernail.

"Yeah," said Harry. "Moody."

It was common knowledge that Snape really wanted the Dark Arts job, and he had now failed to get it for the fourth year running. Snape had disliked all of their previous Dark Arts teachers, and shown it - but he seemed strangely wary of displaying overt animosity to Mad-Eye Moody. Indeed, whenever Harry saw the two of them together -at mealtimes, or when they passed in the corridors - he had the distinct impression that Snape was avoiding Moody's eye, whether magical or normal.

"I reckon Snape's a bit scared of him, you know," Harry said thoughtfully.

"Imagine if Moody turned Snape into a horned toad," said Ron, his eyes misting over, "and bounced him all around his dungeon..."

The Gryffindor fourth years were looking forward to Moody's first lesson so much that they arrived early on Thursday lunchtime and queued up outside his classroom before the bell had even rung. The only person missing was Hermione, who turned up just in time for the lesson.

"Been in the -"

"Library." Harry finished her sentence for her. "C'mon Hermione, just what's so important you have got that you spend the whole of your time in the Libraray?"

"Well obviously now that the tournament is about to start, certai..."

"Ahem Ahem! Now that your barking is over shall we enter the classroom!"

The trio spun around in shock. Right behind them stood the man they had been hearing about the whole time since entering Hogwarts. One of his eyes being magical, his balance being supported by a stick, wearing a large brown coat, Mad Eye Moody watched them threateningly. The trio didn't want to give him a chance to do something serious so they just ran off towards the end desk without saying another word.

Moody walked in."You can put those away," he growled, stumping over to his desk and sitting down, "those books. You won't need them."

They returned the books to their bags, Ron looking at him a bit confused.

Moody took out a register, shook his long mane of grizzled gray hair out of his twisted and scarred face, and began to call out names, his normal eye moving steadily down the list while his magical eye swiveled around, fixing upon each student as he or she answered . In case of Harry's however, his gaze was a bit longer.

"So" Moody announced himself once the last person's name was called out. "My name is Mad Eye Moody. I am here just because Dumbledore asked me. End of story. Good bye. The End! Any questions?

The class remained silent.

"So, straight to the lesson.I'm not supposed to show you what illegal Dark curses look like until you're in the sixth year. You're not supposed to be old enough to deal with it till then. But Professor Dumbledore's got a higher opinion of your nerves, he reckons you can cope, and I say, the sooner you know what you're up against, the better. How are you supposed to defend yourself against something you've never seen? A wizard who's about to put an illegal curse on you isn't going to tell you what he's about to do. He's not going to do it nice and polite to your face. You need to be prepared. You need to be alert and watchful."

"So. . . do any of you know which curses are most heavily punished by wizarding law?"

Several hands rose tentatively into the air, including Ron's and Hermione's. Moody pointed at Ron, though his magical eye was still fixed on Lavender.

"Er," said Ron tentatively, "my dad told me about one.. . . Is it called the Imperius Curse, or something?"

"Ah, yes," said Moody appreciatively. "Your father would know that one. Gave the Ministry a lot of trouble at one time, the Imperius Curse."

Moody got heavily to his mismatched feet, opened his desk drawer, and took out a glass jar. Three large black spiders were scuttling around inside it. Harry felt Ron recoil slightly next to him - Ron hated spiders.

Moody reached into the jar, caught one of the spiders, and held it in the palm of his hand so that they could all see it. He then pointed his wand at it and muttered, "Imperio!"

The spider leapt from Moody's hand on a fine thread of silk and began to swing backward and forward as though on a trapeze. It stretched out its legs rigidly, then did a back flip, breaking the thread and landing on the desk, where it began to cartwheel in circles. Moody jerked his wand, and the spider rose onto two of its hind legs and went into what was unmistakably a tap dance.

Everyone was laughing - everyone except Moody.

"Think it's funny, do you?" he growled. "You'd like it, would you, if I did it to you?"

"The Imperius Curse can be fought, and I'll be teaching you how, but it takes real strength of character, and not everyone's got it. Better avoid being hit with it if you can. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" he barked, and everyone jumped.

Moody picked up the somersaulting spider and threw it back into the jar.

"Anyone else know one? Another illegal curse?"

Hermione's hand flew into the air again and so, to Harry's slight surprise, did Neville's. The only class in which Neville usually volunteered information was Herbology which was easily his best subject. Neville looked surprised at his own daring.

"Yes?" said Moody, his magical eye rolling right over to fix on Neville.

"There's one - the Cruciatus Curse," said Neville in a small but distinct voice.

Moody was looking very intently at Neville, this time with both eyes.

"Your name's Longbottom?" he said, his magical eye swooping down to check the register again.

Neville nodded nervously, but Moody made no further inquiries. Turning back to the class at large, he reached into the jar for the next spider and placed it upon the desktop, where it remained motionless, apparently too scared to move.

"The Cruciatus Curse," said Moody. "Needs to be a bit bigger for you to get the idea,"

he said, pointing his wand at the spider. "Engorgio!"

The spider swelled. It was now larger than a tarantula. Abandoning all pretense, Ron pushed his chair backward, as far away from Moody's desk as possible.

Moody raised his wand again, pointed it at the spider, and muttered, "Crucio!"

At once, the spider's legs bent in upon its body; it rolled over and began to twitch horribly, rocking from side to side. No sound came from it, but Harry was sure that if it could have given voice, it would have been screaming. Moody did not remove his wand, and the spider started to shudder and jerk more violently - "Stop it!" Hermione said shrilly."

Harry looked around at her. She was looking, not at the spider, but at Neville, and Harry, following her gaze, saw that Neville's hands were clenched upon the desk in front of him, his knuckles white, his eyes wide and horrified.

"Right. . . anyone know any others?"

Harry looked around. From the looks on everyone's faces, he guessed they were all wondering what was going to happen to the last spider. Hermione's hand shook slightly as, for the third time, she raised it into the air.

"Yes?" said Moody, looking at her.

"Avada Kedavra," Hermione whispered.

Several people looked uneasily around at her, including Ron.

"Ah," said Moody, another slight smile twisting his lopsided mouth. "Yes, the last and worst. Avada Kedavra. .. the Killing Curse."

He put his hand into the glass jar, and almost as though it knew what was coming, the third spider scuttled frantically around the bottom of the jar, trying to evade Moody's fingers, but he trapped it, and placed it upon the desktop. It started to scuttle frantically across the wooden surface.

Moody raised his wand, and Harry felt a sudden thrill of foreboding.

"Avada Kedavra!" Moody roared.

There was a flash of blinding green light and a rushing sound, as though a vast, invisible something was soaring through the air - instantaneously the spider rolled over onto its back, unmarked, but unmistakably dead. Several of the students stifled cries; Ron had thrown himself backward and almost toppled off his seat as the spider skidded toward him.

"Now, if you don't have any questions, I suppose this is the end of the cl..."

"Professor please..." Hermione raised her hand.

"Yes Miss Granger?"

"Professor I was just wondering if you could tell us something about the Triwizard Tournament? As in, what kind of difficulties do the competitors have to face in the tasks?"

Moody thought over it for a moment. "As you see Miss Granger, there's a reason that an age line has been made this year. Surely if it's easy enough for people under seventeen, surely people like you would have been allowed to participate. Now then, the Tournament is not just any ordinary one. I cannot tell you as to what the tasks would be, but what i can is that unexpected things do happen. Moreover it's not only related to the tasks that we are so concerned."

"Professor, does that mean that you are referring to the dark mark that we saw during the Quidditch World Cup?" Hermione asked tentatively.

"I must admit that I am. You see, many incidents have happened since the last term. The disappearance of crucial members from the Order, that Dark Mark, who knows when we will have to face the one we fear the most once again?"

"Are you saying that there's a chance of He Who Must Not Be Named coming back this summer?" Hermione questioned, the whole class being shocked.

"Class dismissed." Saying that, Moody left the classroom.

**Well guys there you go. Hope you had a great read. I will try my best to update the next chapter by tomorrow. Until then, its good bye from my side.**

**PS: Reviews shall be highly appreciated. :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**"The Champions Selection"**

TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT THE DELEGATIONS FROM BEAUXBATONS AND DURMSTRANG WILL BE ARRIVING AT 6 O'CLOCK TODAY. LESSONS WILL END HALF AN HOUR EARLY - "Brilliant!" said Harry. "It's Potions last thing! Snape won't have time to poison us all!"

STUDENTS WILL RETURN THEIR BAGS AND BOOKS TO THEIR DORMITORIES AND ASSEMBLE IN FRONT OF THE CASTLE TO GREET OUR GUESTS BEFORE THE WELCOMING FEAST.

"I wonder if Cedric knows?" said Ernie Macmillan of Hufflepuff, emerging from the crowd, his eyes gleaming. Think I'll go and tell him. . . ."

"Cedric?" said Ron blankly as Ernie hurried off.

"Diggory," said Harry. "He must be entering the tournament."

"That idiot, Hogwarts champion?" said Ron as they pushed their way through the chattering crowd toward the staircase.

"He's not an idiot. You just don't like him because he beat Gryffindor at Quidditch,"said Hermione. "I've heard he's a really good student - and he's a prefect."

She spoke as though this settled the matter.

"You only like him because he's handsome," said Ron scathingly.

"Excuse me, I don't like people just because they're handsome!" said Hermione indignantly.

"I wonder who might be coming from these schools. Whoever they are, lets just hope that they aren't like Slytherins." With this said, the trio went back to get ready in order to greet their guests.

"Nearly six," said Ron, checking his watch and then staring down the drive that led to the front gates. "How d'you reckon they're coming? The train?"

"I doubt it," said Hermione.

"How, then? Broomsticks?" Harry suggested, looking up at the starry sky.

"I don't think so. . . not from that far away.. .

"A Portkey?" Ron suggested. "Or they could Apparate - maybe you're allowed to do it under seventeen wherever they come from?"

"You can't Apparate inside the Hogwarts grounds, how often do I have to tell you?" said Hermione impatiently.

They scanned the darkening grounds excitedly, but nothing was moving; everything was still, silent, and quite as usual. Harry was starting to feel cold. He wished they'd hurry up. .. . Maybe the foreign students were preparing a dramatic entrance. . . . He remembered what Mr. Weasley had said back at the campsite before the Quidditch World Cup:

"always the same - we can't resist showing off when we get together. .."

And then Dumbledore called out from the back row where he stood with the other teachers -"

Aha! Unless I am very much mistaken, the delegation from Beauxbatons approaches!"

Where?" said many students eagerly, all looking in different directions.

"There!" yelled a sixth year, pointing over the forest.

Something large, much larger than a broomstick - or, indeed, a hundred broomsticks - was hurtling across the deep blue sky toward the castle, growing larger all the time.

"It's a dragon!" shrieked one of the first years, losing her head completely.

"Don't be stupid. . . it's a flying house!" said Dennis Creevey.

Dennis's guess was closer. . . . As the gigantic black shape skimmed over the treetops of the Forbidden Forest and the lights shining from the castle windows hit it, they saw a gigantic, powderblue, horse-drawn carriage, the size of a large house, soaring toward them, pulled through the air by a dozen winged horses, all palominos, and each the size of an elephant.

The front three rows of students drew backward as the carriage hurtled ever lower, coming in to land at a tremendous speed - then, with an almighty crash that made Neville jump backward onto a Slytherin fifth year's foot, the horses' hooves, larger than dinner plates, hit the ground. A second later, the carriage landed too, bouncing upon its vast wheels, while the golden horses tossed their enormous heads and rolled large, fiery red eyes.

Harry just had time to see that the door of the carriage bore a coat of arms (two crossed, golden wands, each emitting three stars) before it opened.

A boy in pale blue robes jumped down from the carriage, bent forward, fumbled for a moment with something on the carriage floor, and unfolded a set of golden steps. He sprang back respectfully. Then Harry saw a shining, high-heeled black shoe emerging from the inside of the carriage - a shoe the size of a child's sled - followed, almost immediately, by the largest woman he had ever seen in his life. The size of the carriage, and of the horses, was immediately explained. A few people gasped.

"My dear Madame Maxime," he said. "Welcome to Hogwarts."

"Dumbly-dort," said Madame Maxime in a deep voice. "I 'ope I find you well?"

"In excellent form, I thank you," said Dumbledore.

"My pupils," said Madame Maxime, waving one of her enormous hands carelessly behind her.

Harry, whose attention had been focused completely upon Madame Maxime, now noticed that about a dozen boys and girls, all, by the look of them, in their late teens, had emerged from the carriage and were now standing behind Madame Maxime. They were shivering, which was unsurprising, given that their robes seemed to be made of fine silk, and none of them were wearing cloaks. A few had wrapped scarves and shawls around their heads. From what

Harry could see of them (they were standing in Madame Maxime's enormous shadow), they were staring up at Hogwarts with apprehensive looks on their faces.

"As Karkaroff arrived yet?" Madame Maxime asked.

"He should be here any moment," said Dumbledore. "Would you like to wait here and greet him or would you prefer to step inside and warm up a trifle?"

"Warm up, I think," said Madame Maxime.

"Very well," said Madame Maxime, bowing slightly. "Will you please inform zis 'Agrid zat ze 'orses drink only single-malt whiskey?"

"Come," said Madame Maxime imperiously to her students, and the Hogwarts crowd parted to allow her and her students to pass up the stone steps.

"How big d'you reckon Durmstrang's horses are going to be?" Seamus Finnigan said, leaning around Lavender and Parvati to address Harry and Ron.

"Well, if they're any bigger than this lot, even Hagrid won't be able to handle them,"said Harry. "That's if he hasn't been attacked by his skrewts. Wonder what's up with them?"

"Maybe they've escaped," said Ron hopefully.

"Oh don't say that," said Hermione with a shudder. "Imagine that lot loose on the grounds. . . ."

They stood, shivering slightly now, waiting for the Durmstrang party to arrive. Most people were gazing hopefully up at the sky.

For a few minutes, the silence was broken only by Madame Maxime's huge horses snorting and stamping. But then - "Can you hear something?" said Ron suddenly.

Harry listened; a loud and oddly eerie noise was drifting toward them from out of the darkness: a muffled rumbling and sucking sound, as though an immense vacuum cleaner were moving along a riverbed.

"The lake!" yelled Lee Jordan, pointing down at it. "Look at the lake!"

What seemed to be a long, black pole began to rise slowly out of the heart of the whirlpool. . . and then Harry saw the rigging...

"It's a mast!" he said to Ron and Hermione.

A few moments later, they heard the splash of an anchor being thrown down in the shallows, and the thud of a plank being lowered onto the bank.

People were disembarking; they could see their silhouettes passing the lights in the ship's portholes. All of them, Harry noticed, seemed to be built along the lines of Crabbe and Goyle... but then, as they drew nearer, walking up the lawns into the light streaming from the entrance hall, he saw that their bulk was really due to the fact that they were wearing cloaks of some kind of shaggy, matted fur. But the man who was leading them up to the castle was wearing furs of a different sort: sleek and silver, like his hair.

"Dumbledore!" he called heartily as he walked up the slope. "How are you, my dear fellow, how are you?"

"Blooming, thank you, Professor Karkaroff," Dumbledore replied. Karkaroff had a fruity, unctuous voice; when he stepped into the light pouring from the front doors of the castle

they saw that he was tall and thin like Dumbledore, but his white hair was short, and his goatee (finishing in a small curl) did not entirely hide his rather weak chin. When he reached Dumbledore, he shook hands with both of his own.

"Dear old Hogwarts," he said, looking up at the castle and smiling; his teeth were rather yellow, and Harry noticed that his smile did not extend to his eyes, which remained cold and shrewd. "How good it is to be here, how good.. . . Viktor, come along, into the warmth. . . you don't mind, Dumbledore? Viktor has a slight head cold..."

Karkaroff beckoned forward one of his students. As the boy passed, Harry caught a glimpse of a prominent curved nose and thick black eyebrows. He didn't need the punch on the arm Hermione gave him, or the hiss in his ear, to recognize that profile.

"Harry - it's Krum!"

"Holy shit! I didn't knew that he was still at school!" Ron said as though he couldn't believe what he just saw.

"Lets just move on or else all the seats would be taken."

Hurriedly, the trio stepped into the Great Hall where the opening ceremony of the tournament was about to begin. They sat at the very end of the table as everywhere else was full. Many students, including some from Dumstrang, had been unable to fetch some space to themselves.

"Welcome everyone! I have great pleasure in announcing that the tournament is about to start. Before we do so, let me give you some instructions. People who wish to register themselves will present their names to an impartial judge which will be presented in front of you after dinner. Only 30 mins will be given to submit the names, after which the judge will select the Three Champions! For now though, enjoy the feast!"

"Well that's cool isn't it? I wonder who the judge is. Let's just wish the feast gets over quickly... Can't wai..." Hermione's sentence wasn't finished.

"Um excuse me would you mind if you just move a bit and create some space for me?" a voice came from behind.

"Yeah sure" Hermione said without even looking at the person.

"Thanks. I am Victor Krum. And you are?"

"Hermione Gran..." and then lighting struck. Hermione turned her face around and saw that it indeed was Victor Krum who had joined her!

"Hermio...ne.. Gran. um ...ger. Nice uh to.. meet yew..." The words wouldn't come that so easily would they.

"Nice to meet you too beautiful." Krum winked,which made Ron look jealous. "And who might you two gentlemen be?" He pointed towards Ron and Harry.

"Harry Potter." They shook hands. "Have heard loads about you obviously. The boy who lived and all that. Glad to meet you at last."

"Ron Weasley". Ron's greeted the cold voice in his tone, Krum just merely shook hands and nothing else.

"So are you guys participating in the tournament?"

"No we aren't. Actually we aren't allowed to do so. Not seventeen yet. Would have loved to do so though. 10000 galleons prize and all that. Still I believe it will be fun supporting the champions." Hermione became quite friendly with Krum within such a short time span.

"Alright then students! The time we have all being waiting for has come!The casket, then, if you please, Mr. Filch."

Filch, who had been lurking unnoticed in a far corner of the Hall, now approached Dumbledore carrying a great wooden chest encrusted with jewels. It looked extremely old.

A murmur of excited interest rose from the watching students; Dennis Creevey actually stood on his chair to see it properly, but, being so tiny, his head hardly rose above anyone else's.

Filch placed the chest carefully on the table before him, "There will be three tasks, spaced throughout the school year, and they will test the champions in many different ways.. their magical prowess - their daring -their powers of deduction - and, of course, their ability to cope with danger."

At this last word, the Hall was filled with a silence so absolute that nobody seemed to be breathing.

"As you know, three champions compete in the tournament," Dumbledore went on calmly, "one from each of the participating schools. They will be marked on how well they perform each of the Tournament tasks and the champion with the highest total after task three will win the Triwizard Cup. The champions will be chosen by an impartial selector: the Goblet of Fire."

Dumbledore now took out his wand and tapped three times upon the top of the casket. The lid creaked slowly open. Dumbledore reached inside it and pulled out a large, roughly hewn wooden cup. It would have been entirely unremarkable had it not been full to the brim with dancing blue-white flames.

Dumbledore closed the casket and placed the goblet carefully on top of it, where it would be clearly visible to everyone in the Hall.

"30 minutes! That's all you people have got. Good Luck."

"Allow me to go then? It was a pleasure meeting you guys." Krum bowed down to Hermione and she blushed which made Ron more furious.

"O man what a personality he has got! Lets just sit now and wait for the results."

"Well, the goblet is almost ready to make its decision," said Dumbledore. "I estimate that it requires one more minute. Now, when the champions' names are called, I would ask them please to come up to the top of the Hall, walk along the staff table, and go through into the next chamber" - he indicated the door behind the staff table - "where they will be receiving their first instructions."

He took out his wand and gave a great sweeping wave with it; at once, all the candles except those inside the carved pumpkins were extinguished, plunging them into a state of semidarkness. The Goblet of Fire now shone more brightly than anything in the whole Hall, the sparkling bright, bluey-whiteness of the flames almost painful on the eyes.

Everyone watched, waiting. . . . A few people kept checking their watches. . .

"Any second," Lee Jordan whispered, two seats away from Harry.

The flames inside the goblet turned suddenly red again. Sparks began to fly from it.

Next moment, a tongue of flame shot into the air, a charred piece of parchment fluttered out of it - the whole room gasped.

Dumbledore caught the piece of parchment and held it at arm's length, so that he could read it by the light of the flames, which had turned back to blue-white.

"The champion for Durmstrang," he read, in a strong, clear voice, "will be Viktor Krum."

"Wohoo! No surprises there!" Hermione cheered.

"Yea, Exactly." Harry clapped for Krum as well. Ron unsurprisingly didn't.

The clapping and chatting died down. Now everyone's attention was focused again on the goblet, which, seconds later, turned red once more. A second piece of parchment shot out of it, propelled by the flames.

"The champion for Beauxbatons," said Dumbledore, "is Fleur Delacour!"

"It's her, Ron!" Harry shouted as the girl who so resembled a veela got gracefully to her feet, shook back her sheet of silvery blonde hair, and swept up between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables.

"Oh look, they're all disappointed," Hermione said over the noise, nodding toward the remainder of the Beauxbatons party. "Disappointed" was a bit of an understatement, Harry thought. Two of the girls who had not been selected had dissolved into tears and were sobbing with their heads on their arms.

When Fleur Delacour too had vanished into the side chamber, silence fell again, but this time it was a silence so stiff with excitement you could almost taste it. The Hogwarts champion next...

And the Goblet of Fire turned red once more; sparks showered out of it; the tongue of flame shot high into the air, and from its tip Dumbledore pulled the third piece of parchment.

"The Hogwarts champion," he called, "is Cedric Diggory!"

"No! " said Ron loudly, but nobody heard him except Harry; the uproar from the next table was too great. Every single Hufflepuff had jumped to his or her feet, screaming and stamping, as Cedric made his way past them, grinning broadly, and headed off toward the chamber behind the teachers' table. Indeed, the applause for Cedric went on so long that it was some time before Dumbledore could make himself heard again.

"Excellent!" Dumbledore called happily as at last the tumult died down. "Well, we now have our three champions. I am sure I can count upon all of you, including the remaining students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, to give your champions every ounce of support you can muster. By cheering your champion on, you will contribute in a very real -"

But Dumbledore suddenly stopped speaking, and it was apparent to everybody what had distracted him.

The fire in the goblet had just turned red again. Sparks were flying out of it. A long flame shot suddenly into the air, and borne upon it was another piece of parchment.

Automatically, it seemed, Dumbledore reached out a long hand and seized the parchment. He held it out and stared at the name written upon it. There was a long pause, during which Dumbledore stared at the slip in his hands, and everyone in the room stared at Dumbledore. And then Dumbledore cleared his throat and read out - "Hermione Granger."

**PS: Sorry to everyone who had to see that mess created by me.**


	4. Chapter 4

** "The Reaction"**

Hermione was left open mouthed. Had she listened correctly as to what was said? Surely her name was not called out or was it?

She looked towards her two best friends. Harry was left just as dumb struck as she was. Ron looked as though he was about to explode any time.

"I didn't put my name in it. You know I didn't." Hermione tried to explain them.

"HERMIONE GRANGER!" Dumbledore was losing his patience.

"Go on Hermione. Just go on". Neville who was sitting right in front of her, urged her to do as she was asked to.

Hermione got to her feet, trod on the hem of her robes, and stumbled slightly. She set off up the gap between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables. It felt like an immensely long walk; the top table didn't seem to be getting any nearer at all, and she could feel hundreds and hundreds of eyes upon him, as though each were a searchlight. The buzzing grew louder and louder. After what seemed like an hour, she was right in front of Dumbledore, feeling the stares of all the teachers upon him.

"Well.. . through the door, Hermione," said Dumbledore. He wasn't smiling.

Hermione moved off along the teachers' table. Hagrid was seated right at the end. He did not wink at her, or wave, or give any of his usual signs of greeting. He looked completely astonished and stared at Hermione as she passed like everyone else.

Hermione went through the door out of the Great Hall and found herself in a smaller room, lined with paintings of witches and wizards. A handsome fire was roaring in the fireplace opposite him.

The faces in the portraits turned to look at him as she entered. He saw a wizened witch flit out of the frame of her picture and into the one next to it, which contained a wizard with a walrus mustache. The wizened witch started whispering in his ear.

Victore Krum was seated on a sofa with Cedric giving company to him. Fleur just stood by the fire place thinking as to when the teachers would come down and give them further instuctions. All three turned around to see Hermione entering the room. They were all very surprised to see Hermione there. At the sight of her, Krum though gave a wink.

Barely a minute had passed when the teachers came rushing down. Dumbledore came straight to Hermione.

"Did you put your name into the Goblet of Fire, Hermione?" he asked calmly.

"No," said Hermione. He was very aware of everybody watching him closely. Snape made a soft noise of impatient disbelief in the shadows.

"Did you ask an older student to put it into the Goblet of Fire for you?" said Professor Dumbledore, ignoring Snape.

"No," said Hermione vehemently.

"Ah, but of course she is lying!" cried Madame Maxime. Snape was now shaking his head, his lip curling.

"To hell she's lying!" Moody couldn't resist it any longer. "It would have needed an exceptionally strong Confundus Charm to bamboozle that goblet into forgetting that only three schools compete in the tournament.. . . I'm guessing they submitted Granger's name under a fourth school, to make sure she was the only one in her category..."

"Mr. Crouch.. . Mr. Bagman," said Karkaroff, his voice unctuous once more, "you are our -er - objective judges. Surely you will agree that this is most irregular?"

"We must follow the rules, and the rules state clearly that those people whose names come out of the Goblet of Fire are bound to compete in the tournament."

"Well, Barty knows the rule book back to front," said Bagman, beaming and turning back to Karkaroff and Madame Maxime, as though the matter was now closed.

"Well, shall we crack on, then?" he said, rubbing his hands together and smiling around the room. "Got to give our champions their instructions, haven't we? Barty, want to do the honors?"

Mr. Crouch seemed to come out of a deep reverie.

"Yes," he said, "instructions. Yes . . . the first task . . ."

He moved forward into the firelight. Close up, Hermione thought he looked ill. There were dark shadows beneath his eyes and a thin, papery look about his wrinkled skin that had not been there at the Quidditch World Cup.

"The first task is designed to test your daring," he told Hermione, Cedric, Fleur, and Viktor, "so we are not going to be telling you what it is. Courage in the face of the unknown is an important quality in a wizard. . . very important.

"The first task will take place on November the twenty-fourth, in front of the other students and the panel of judges.

"The champions are not permitted to ask for or accept help of any kind from their teachers to complete the tasks in the tournament. The champions will face the first challenge armed only with their wands. They will receive information about the second task when the first is over. Owing to the demanding and time-consuming nature of the tournament, the champions are exempted from end-of-year tests."

Mr. Crouch turned to look at Dumbledore.

"I think that's all, is it, Albus?"

"I think so," said Dumbledore, who was looking at Mr. Crouch with mild concern. "Are you sure you wouldn't like to stay at Hogwarts tonight, Barty?"

"No, Dumbledore, I must get back to the Ministry," said Mr. Crouch. "It is a very busy, very difficult time at the moment... I've left young Weatherby in charge.. . . Very enthusiastic. . . a little overenthusiastic, if truth be told. . .

"You'll come and have a drink before you go, at least?" said Dumbledore.

"Come on, Barry, I'm staying!" said Bagman brightly. "It's all happening at Hogwarts now, you know, much more exciting here than at the office!"

"I think not, Ludo," said Crouch with a touch of his old impatience.

"Professor Karkaroff - Madame Maxime - a nightcap?" said Dumbledore.

But Madame Maxime had already put her arm around Fleur's shoulders and was leading her swiftly out of the room. Hermione could hear them both talking very fast in French as they went off into the Great Hall. Karkaroff beckoned to Krum, and they, too, exited, though in silence.

"Hermione, Cedric, I suggest you go up to bed," said Dumbledore, smiling at both of them. "I am sure Gryffindor and Hufflepuff are waiting to celebrate with you, and it would be a shame to deprive them of this excellent excuse to make a great deal of mess and noise."

Both Hermione and Cedric got out of the room. Once they were out of earshot, Cedric said "Congratulations Granger."

"I don't know whether you are being sarcastic or not." Hermione snapped at Cedric.

"Well obviously I do believe you. Surely it must have been someone else who put your name inside the Goblet Of Fire". Cedric replied. "Well I think I should carry on. Good night to you."

Hermione said nothing and kept on walking towards the Gryffindor common room. She was about to tell the password when something stopped her. Was anyone else than Ron and Harry going to believe her? Was I about to get bashing from my fellow friends?

"Balderdash," said Hermione dully.

The door to the common room opened. It was completely empty or else she thought it was by then. She was about to go to her dormitory when she noticed that the two people she needed the most were waiting for her by the fireplace. She moved towards them.

"Well, so you have somehow entered. Congratulations." Ron said accusingly.

"Ron!" Harry tried to stop him.

"No wait Harry. Let's just see what he has got to say." Hermione didn't want him to cover up for Ron.

"Well. . . no one else got across the Age Line," said Ron. "Not even Fred and George.

"It's okay, you know, you can tell us the truth," he said. "If you don't want everyone else to know, fine, but I don't know why you're bothering to lie, you didn't get into trouble for it, did you? That friend of the Fat Lady's, that Violet, she's already told us all Dumbledore's letting you enter. A thousand Galleons prize money, eh? And you don't have to do end-of-year tests either. . ."

"I didn't put my name in that goblet!" said Hermione, starting to feel angry.

"Yeah, okay," said Ron. "I'm not stupid, you know."

"You're doing a really good impression of it," Harry snapped.

"Yeah?" said Ron, and there was no trace of a grin, forced or otherwise, on his face now. "So now go on supporting her will go? Just shove off the two of you!" With that said, Ron went towards his room.

"Harry? Thanks alot." Hermione started crying on his shoulders.

"OH now just wait! There's no need to cry about for something." Harry tried to console her.

"You seriously believe that I didn't put my name in the Goblet Of Fire then? Hermione wept harder.

"Of course I do! You helped me back in first year protecting the stone. Second year you helped us bring down Tom Riddle. Third year you helped me save my Godfather Hermione. I certainly just can't back off now when it's the first time my best friend is asking for help. Don't worry. I will always be there for you."

"HARRY! YOU ARE THE BEST FRIEND A PERSON COULD ASK FOR" Hermione kept on sobbing on her friend's shoulder. "I really don't know why I thought I could spend a great time with Ron in the future. Harry..."

"Yeah?"

"I love you." Hermione couldn't stop herself from revealing it.

**PS: Do review it :)**


	5. Chapter 5

"**THE CONFESSION"**

Harry was left dumb struck. Hermione Granger, the girl he thought was his best friend for more than three years, confessing her love for him? Surely she didn't mean it, or did she? Had he listened to her quite clearly?

"Hermione? Can you please repeat what you just said?" Harry still wasn't sure that he heard correctly.

"What, did I say something wrong Harry?" Hermione was shaking quite alot. It looked as if she was tensed as to what Harry's reaction would be.

"No no, that's not the way. I just wanted to confirm that I heard correctly as to what you said." This was beginning to be quite a long night for both of us.

"What I said, Harry, was that I love you." Hermione said.

"Once again please?" From the inside, Harry was dancing joyously. He just didn't want to show it right now.

"I love you Harry." Hermione was now feeling quite confident. Her fear was gone.

"One last time please?" Harry was now holding her hand.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER. I LOVE YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART AND NOTHING YOU SAY WHAT STOP ME NOW FROM LOVING YOU!" Hermione had it a lot. She just wasn't going to keep quite now and had decided to express her feelings openly in front of Harry.

"Hermione... I just can't believe. Out of nowhere, you are just expressing yourself. I mean, weren't we just friends? Wasn't it always Ron and you through and through? Just for how long had you kept this away from me? Did you ever thought as to what Ron's reaction would be? Is it only because I believed that you didn't enter the tournament by yourself?" Her three words left so many unanswered questions for himself and he didn't want to even spend another minute without getting the answers.

"Harry! Harry! Calm down! I assure you that I will answer each and every question of right now! But one question at a time! Now fire away your first question."

"Hermione, out of nowhere, you are just expressing your feelings for me. I mean, weren't we just friends?" Harry fired away his first quire.

"I myself don't know how the hell I started feeling about it. I can just guess. Yes I admit to the fact that we were just friends in the beginning. But now it seems like that I love you Harry. It seems like you are perfect for me." Hermione answered his first question.

"Wasn't it always Ron and you through and through?" Harry couldn't resist finding out the answers.

"Well, I already told you Harry. It was a big mistake of mine thinking that I could spend the rest of my life with a person like him. But then after studying him quite closely, it looks like we were never meant for each other. It was always you who would have been a great life partner for me. I mean, you already are my best friend. He's just jealous of you. He just wants to have everything he can even if it means fighting with his best mates and all."

Harry had to agree with that point of her's. However there were still many questions left unanswered. "Just for how long had you kept this away from me?"

"As I have already mentioned it Harry, I myself can only have a wild guess. I suppose it was back in the third year. Remember when we had to rescue Buckbeak as well as Sirius? Well it was the first time I was travelling on Buckbeak so obviously I was a bit scared. I just got hold of you, and our bodies touched each other. That was the moment when I think I realized that it was not Ron but you that I loved." Hermione blushed just as she finished the sentence.

Harry blushed quite alot as well. " I didn't knew that you grew up so fast. Still my next you ever thought as to what Ron's reaction would be?"

Hermione was ready for this question. "Well as we all can see, that prat doesn't love me does he? He always tends to get my help for his homework that's it. Nothing else. Numerous times he has hurt my feelings Harry. He just wants everything no matter what the cost us. He values other things more than friendship and love. And when I consider him with you, there's a whole lot of a difference. You are a person who respects others feelings. You are willing to give everything you have for your friends. To be honest, I just befriended Ron just because I could get closer to you. Otherwise, why would someone like to be with a person like him."

"I surely didn't expect that kind of a response from you. Still lets move on. Is it only because I believed that you didn't enter the tournament by yourself?" This was the question Harry had been waiting for to get an answer.

"Well Harry I suppose not, but definitely it did help me in embracing my love for you. As in, even if this competition hadn't taken into place, even if I wasn't selected for the tournament, I was bound to tell you sooner rather than later. Your support just made things easier for me otherwise I still would have told you." Hermione finished off with a sigh.

"Well I suppose that rounds up all the questions I had in mind regarding your confession. There's one last bit though. Did you ever discuss these things with anyone else? I mean your parents, Neville , Hagrid, anyone?"

Hermione thought about it for a moment. "To be quite honest Harry, yes I did. Back in third year, after rescuing Sirius, I was there in the Library wondering of the events that took place when suddenly Neville showed up. He figured out that I was in need of help, help in form of a friend with whom I could share my feelings about you. He was the one who gave me the courage of confessing it to you. He's being of great moral support to me and that's the reason as to why I extended my friendship with him."

Harry had enough of it for today. "O fish! It's two already! We better go back to our dormitories otherwise we won't be able to get up earl..."

"Harry one moment". Hermione stopped him midway through his sentence.

"Yeah?" Harry looked at her questioningly.

"I have got a question for you as well." Hermione stood up.

"And that is?" Harry was a bit confused at that time.

Hermione lessened the gap between the two. She came so close to Harry that their lips were almost teaching each others.

"Do you love me as well?"

**A/N's: Well I suppose this chapter was worth the wait wasn't it? Do review it so that I can get to know as to whether my fellow readers are satisfied with my work till now or not. Until them, farewell :D**


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